MARIJUANA BILL STIRS DISSENT IN BURNSVILLE

Police Officers Say The State's Current Plan Would 'Create Significant Harm.'

Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz and the City Council are supporting
efforts by the Police Department to rework a bill under consideration
in the Legislature that would make legal the use of marijuana for
medical reasons.

Kautz, who called the current offering "not a very good bill," made
her support known after a March 10 presentation by Police Chief Bob
Hawkins and Capt. Eric Werner at a council work session, during which
police warned that the bill would lead to increased illegal behavior.

"We understand that there are people who would benefit from a medical
standpoint," Hawkins said. "We just would like to see more regulation."

Authorized people would be able to grow their own marijuana at home
under the bill, with primary caregivers allowed to grow enough
marijuana for up to five patients.

According to reports, each plant can produce up to a pound of
marijuana and can be harvested three times a year. The marijuana
would have a street value well into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Werner said the proposed legislation could lead to authorizing
thousands of individuals to begin growing marijuana in their homes,
placing the safety of themselves and those nearby in jeopardy.

"This bill would create significant harm," Kautz said.

Hawkins said the Police Department would support a system similar to
the one used for traditional prescription drugs, where patients would
have the marijuana dispensed by a licensed facility. Hawkins' hope is
that the support of the mayor and the City Council will lead
supporters of the bill to take another look.

Werner pointed out that officers would not be provided with
information identifying those who are authorized to possess and grow
marijuana. Any marijuana seized from an authorized person would have
to be returned to that person, which would require the officers
involved to act in violation of federal law.

"A state law should be in compliance with a federal law," Kautz said.

Minnesota law enforcement agencies, by and large, oppose legalization
of medical marijuana. "Every major law enforcement organization
continues to oppose it," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said
last month. "It would simply be bad public policy to adopt the bill."

There are two similar bills under consideration and both appear to be
gaining momentum. The House version was referred on March 16 to the
Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee. The senate version has
passed through the transportation and judicial committees and moved
on to the finance committee on March 5.

Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, who sponsored the senate bill, said
the bill could wind up on Gov. Tim Pawlenty's desk within the next
two weeks. "I'm very optimistic we will get this done," Murphy said.
"For most of the negative comments, if people actually read the bill
they would be taken care of.

"About 10 percent of the disagreement is just foolishness that should
just be disregarded. I think the majority of the Legislature realizes that."

Pawlenty's spokesman, Brian McClung, has said the governor remains
opposed the bill but would reconsider if law enforcement officials do.